Composite-figure construction



April 16, 1929. N, ROYAL 1,709,543

COMPOSITE FIGURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1927' INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

' wherein the Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH N. ROYAL, OF BUFFALO, NEW

LIMITED, OF TORONTO, CANADA, A

YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F. N. BURT COMPANY,

CORPORATION OF ONTARIO, CANADA.

COMPOSITE-FIGURE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in theconstruction of figures or toys, and more particularly in some of itsdetails to improvements in such figures of composite seamlessconstruction of impacted fibrous material, and being utilizable as acontainer or receptacle.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a composite figureor toy of the class mentioned of improved structural form whereby it maybe advantageously and inexpensively manufactured of a fibrous materialsuch, for example, as wood pulp, and at the same time be of novel andattractive ap pearance, and an interior compartment to adapt it to serveas a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved compositefigure or toy component parts thereof mutually cooperate to provide areceptacle of relatively large capacity and of unique and pleasingappearance.

A further object is to devise an improved construction for compositefigures wherein the component parts are relatively disposed andintegrally united in such manner as to mutually reinforce the structure.

Another object is to devise an improved process of making a compositearticle having seamless walls of impacted fiber.

Other objects will be in part pointed out in connection with thefollowing detailed disclosure of an illustrative but preferredembodiment of the invention, and will be in part obvious in connectionwith said disclosure.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete disclosure of the nature and objects of theinvention, reference is had to the following detailed description and tothe accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a figure embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section from forward to rear of the figure,and

Fi 3 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2looking downwardly.

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the illustrativeembodiment of 28, 1927. Serial N0. 171,466.

the invention,'the article is there shown as' a standing person made upto represent a Santa Claus, and the receptacle is in the form of a packcarried by the figure, but it will be understood that the figure andreceptacle may take other forms. Both the figure and the receptacle areprovided with interior cavities 12 and 13, respectively, merging andcombining with each other to form a single interior compartment whichmay be utilized for the reception and support of any desired articlessuch as toys or gifts. receiving compartment of relatively largedimensions as compared with the size of the pack is thus provided. Anopening 14 is formed in the top of the pack, being in communication withthe receiving compartment to provide a passageway for receiving orremoving the arti'cles.

A wall 15 outlines the contour or outer surface of the Figure 10, and awall 16 similarly outlines the contour of the receptacle 11. These wallsjoin with each other, as shown on lines extending longitudinally andtrans versely of the article and are discontinuous at the line ofjuncture thereof; that is, the walls follow the respective contours bothof the figure and receptacle to the wall intersection line beyond whichboth the figure Wall and the receptacle walls are discontinuous, eachbeing merged with the other along said line. The wall juncture line ispositioned so as to lie relatively far outwardly toward the sides of thearticle and relatively low down thereon so as to provide a largecommunicating opening or passageway between the interior cavities of thefigure and receptacle so as to practically unite these two cavities toform a single interior receiving compartment. It will be seen that thispassageway is defined by the line of juncture between the walls of thefigure and receptacle.

The walls 15 and 16 are preferably made integral with each other, andare seamless throughout. That is, the walls throughout their extent areconstructed of Seamless material, the merging of the walls of the figureand receptacle at the juncture thereof being integral and seamless. Thusthe Walls at the juncture thereof form integral seamless continuationsof each other. The merging lines between the walls of the figure andreceptacle are positioned somewhat inwardly of the extreme outersurfaces of the figure and receptacle so as to provide longitudinalinwardly disposed reinforcing ribs 17 and a similar transverse inwardlydisposed rib 18 at the lower part of the article. This feature is ofimportance since it provides integral longitudinal and transversereinforcement for the article and permitting quite a thin wall, andconstruction of a fragile material, yet furnishing suflicient rigidityand stiffness for amply supporting the article with its load.

The composite article is preferably'made complete in one piece, thewalls thereof being free from seams or joints. the walls is preferablyimpacted fiber. The walls are advantageously formed by'introduction ofwood or like pulp of fibrous material suspended in water to a foraminousmould shaped to conform to the combined figure and receptacle. Theliquid suspended pulp fibers are introduced into'the mould underpressure, whereupon the liquid seeps or is forced through the aperturesin the mould walls while the fibers are caught and deposited on theinner surface of the mould.

The pulp bearing liquor is preferably introduced into the mould at apart thereof coincident with the receptacle opening 14 so as to avoidthe formation of an opening at any such part of the article as mighttend to mar its construction or appearance. Also the current of pulpliquor entering the opening 14 can be directed in a straight line substantially longitudinally of the figure or slightly diagonally from rearto front thereof. This avoids directing the current directly against aclosely adjacent part of the mould, or formation of eddy currents withinthe mold, in such a manner as might wash away the fibers from saidadjacent parts of the mould walls, thus preventing fiber deposit andcausing thin or defective walls. This fault is entirely avoided by thedescribed arrangement. A vacuum may be applied to the mould, eitheralone or in combination with internal mould pressure, to cause depositof the fibers'on the mould walls; centrifugal or vibratory action of themould may also be utilizedfor this purpose.

Due to the pressure of the liquid within the mould, or to the action ofsome other agency such as mentioned, the fibers are deposited andlightly impacted upon the mould walls so as to form a fibrous layer overthe inner mould surface. When the fibers have thus depositedsufficiently to form the article wall of the desired thickness,introduction of the pulp-bearing liquid is discontinued and the articlethus deposited is then dried as by introducing dry steam or heated airinto the mould. The steam or air may be introduced under pressuresufficient to still further impact the fibers so as to form a wall offirm The material of and tough structure. It will be seen that the wallsthus formed are integral and seamless throughout and that the merging ofthe walls of the figure and receptacle is wholly free from seams. Thearticle, therefore, while beingsuscepticle of manufacture by a simpleand inexpensive process, is strong and durable.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article, and differentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in alimiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the follow ing claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A composite article including a-figure simulating an animated objectand a receptacle integrally united with said figure, said article havingseamless enclosing walls outlining the contours of the figure andreceptacle, said figure and receptacle having interior cavities mergingand combining with each other and arranged in extension of each other toprovide an interior receiving compartment bounded by the said walls, andsaid article having a receiving opening in communication with saidreceiving compartment. 2. A composite article including a figuresimulating an animated object and a receptacle integrally united withsaid figure, said article having walls outlining the contours of thefigure and receptacle, said figure and receptacle having interiorcavities merging and combining with each other and arranged in extensionof each other to provide an interior receiving compartment, and saidarticle having a receiving opening in communication with said receivingcompartment, the walls of said figure and receptacle joinin each otherand being integrally merged at t ac line of juncture thereof formingintegral continuations of each other and enclosing said receivingcompartment. v

3. A composite article including a figure simulating an animated objectand a receptacle united with said figure, said article having wallsoutlining the contours of the figureand receptacle, said figure andreceptacle I 2 having interior cavities merging and combining with eachother and arranged in extension of each other to provide an interiorreceiving compartment, and said article having a receiving opening incommunication with said receiving compartment, the walls of said figureand receptacle joining each other and being integrally merged at theline of juncture thereof, forming integral continuations of each otherand enclosing said receiving compartment, and the merging of said Wallsforming longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs for the article.

4. A composite article including a figure simulating an animated objectand a receptacle united with said figure, said article having enclosingwalls outlining the contours of the figure and receptacle, said figureand receptacle havin interior cavities merging and combining Wit -l1each other and arranged in extension of each other to provide aninterior receiving compartment, said walls joining and integrallymerging with each other and being discontinuous on the line of juncturethereof at the place of merging of said cavities.

mg enclosing walls outlining the contours of the figure and receptacle,said figure and rebeing continuous on'the line of juncture there- 30 ofto define a passageway between said cavities, and the merging line ofsaid walls forming longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs for thearticle.

6. A composite article including a figure 85 simulating an animatedobject and a receptacle united with said figure, said figure andreceptacle having walls of seamless impacted fibrous material joiningand being integral With each other at the line of of, said figure andreceptacle having interior cavities merging with each other so as tounite said cavities into a common interior receiving compartment and theplace of said merging being defined by said line of junc- 45 ture.

In testimony whereof I alfiX my signature.

JOSEPH N. ROYAL.

interior cavities merging and 25 juncture there- 40

